Kindred (The Young Ancients: Second Cycle Book 3) Read online

  “Unfortunately not. We have freedom of the media here. You can come in? That, or leave. Other than that, there isn’t a real way out of this kind of trap.”

  “Ah. So… What if I go into a combat rage, and accidently kill him? I mean, I know how to turn his shield off. I do it all the time while I practice each day. I’m… Not really certain I can prevent that for much longer.” As it was, Dare was almost certain he was already more than partway into an episode that way. He fought it, as hard as he could, but needed some kind of relief from the cause, if it were going to work much longer.

  The pudgy man made an outraged sound behind Dareg.

  “You can’t just go around threatening people like that! I have rights and I’m not breaking any laws here! You are, making me afraid like that.”

  Dareg nodded, understanding what the man was going for. Then he shook his head.

  “No, you see, I’m pretty much in a combat rage right now. I have been for a bit. It’s been really hard to control myself. You might notice that your shield is already on? I triggered it as we spoke, when I was about to kill you before, for lying about me. What I’m asking now is, after I kill you, do I have to flee and never come back, or is it more like a fine?”

  Tiera laughed, covering her mouth with her right hand. It was fake, since she understood he was really doing everything possible not to do exactly what he’d just said to the man. The one that wasn’t taking the hint at all.

  The Queen finally took a deep breath and smiled.

  “Well, most of our citizens don’t have combat rage and those that do don’t have the ability to take shields down like that. Really it’s only Tim and Tor that could do both. Now you, I guess? The answer is that you can’t be expected not to kill someone, if a rage triggers like that. Especially if you’ve been doing everything you can to get away from someone that triggered you. Technically it would be lawful. Not good, of course.” She seemed worried that he was going to kill the annoying liar behind him, but he simply nodded and forced himself not to respond.

  “That would be messy. I know, Mr. Albright… Why don’t you go and call Hess? Or go off to Mars? I’ll have to get with my media friends on those as well, so I would hurry and do that?”

  It made sense to him, but what really helped was Tiera disappearing inside, and a thin, rather pale hand snaking out once the chests were safely inside, the door closing with a clank. A dull thud, since the heavy thing was made of pure stone. Thick and resistant to all Austran intrusion.

  She spun, and shook her head just a bit.

  “They’re a plague on us all, but really do keep things operating honestly. Of course now the big news story tonight will be all about Albright being threatened by the mean Prince. I imagine that will push you to kill him? That… Can’t he see how close to the edge you are? The fool. It would still be best if we avoided that. We’ve only had a few murders here, and none done without a terrorist action being involved. It’s one of the best things about living here. I’d hate for Albright to ruin that for us all.”

  He nodded, and then closed his eyes, and relaxed. It took a while, since he was worked up and so far into a rage that it was difficult to even pretend to be normal, but while it seemed like whole minutes to him, the Queen was still smiling at him when he opened his eyes. Politely, the way people did when they knew someone was honestly about to lose it for real.

  “Sorry. Anyway, the armor and weapons are the same as before. Just copies. You got a demonstration on those?” He didn’t know that, but she was a Queen. She probably got to see things that no one else ever did. It just sort of went with the idea of the job.

  “I have. Petra and Gerent even got me a copy of them both. We didn’t know if there would be anymore coming. I take it that you won’t mind if we make copies then? If you’re giving away thousands of the things, I mean. That will lower the resale value.” Gesturing at the boxes, she seemed pleased enough now that he was there. Giving her millions of golds worth of free things. They might not work that way on Harmony, but the Queen was from Noram, originally.

  She understood what it meant for him to be giving things like that away.

  “Do it. Please. I’d like everyone to be armed and armored. The real shields as well. That’s a lot, if we’re doing all of Earth. We have the fleets too, and I don’t think they can make this kind of thing, yet.”

  She went very still for a few moments, and then shook her head.

  “That’s too many. Even for us. We can outfit people that might be under threat, and possibly some of their guards, or soldiers, but that’s all. At that… I don’t know if it’s a good idea. Even if they aren’t the Adversaries, they might not all be as friendly as what we’ve seen so far.” She made a tight face, and glared at him a bit. “Not that they’ve done anything wrong so far, but they have more of a population than Earth does, by twelve times. If only one in a hundred of them is a problem for us, that could potentially lead to a real war. One that we might be hard pressed to win. Even giving them food and light like we are might not be enough for them, if they secretly want a world to call home. Is it wise to simply hand them weapons and armor? Shields?”

  Dareg understood her point, but shook his head anyway. Not that he had a real answer.

  “I… Don’t know. We can’t just leave them to suffer though. We can’t know that they’ll all be honorable however. Well, it might not make any difference. We should do what we can. That will either be enough, or not.”

  He sounded a bit miserable, so smiled, and then on impulse hugged Tiera. She might technically be his Aunt, but the woman wasn’t really related by blood. Even though she was Tor’s sister and they had the same mother and father. There had been magic involved in it all, Dare thought. That, and science of some kind.

  “Anyway, if you hand out the tiles in this box, people will be able to put up transport nodes so you can visit. I… really, don’t give them out to anyone that you don’t want coming to see you randomly? It would be rude to do that without calling first, but… People are idiots? This won’t hook up to anything outside of your system though. Everyone else will have to use the public ones. Though so far I haven’t noticed anyone doing that. I should have put signs on them. Oh, well.” He forced a happy expression, and let the woman go, or tried too. She was taller than he was, but clung to him for a bit.

  “Understood. So, that favor I wanted?”

  “Um, sure?”

  “Great. I just need someone to go to a dinner and represent Harmony. It… Really, it isn’t that big of a deal. It’s just with a friend of Tim’s. Kincaid Rue? She’s a player there. An actress, as they call it. I would have simply turned her down, but I did the last three times that anyone from there asked, and if I keep that up, they’ll start thinking that I dislike Austra. Which I don’t. They’re a charming people in their own fashion. I’m just too busy to go and sit in a room with folk that are mainly impressed with my position, rather than my witty conversation. So… What do you say?”

  He nodded then, and smiled.

  “I understand. My lack of good conversation skills means that I won’t have that worry? Shrewd and canny of you to notice that fact. The biggest trouble for me is that it will seem like it takes fifteen times longer for me than for you. Not a joke. I’m moving in ultra-slow fashion just to talk to you right now. The… The combat rage isn’t helping.” It made it harder to control himself, by a good bit. Enough that he was physically shaking, and couldn’t totally hide it. That was pretty serious, as far as things like that went.

  She sighed, and then nodded.

  “Right. That must be… Fun.”

  “Oh, sure. Brilliant really. I do get a lot done however. Anyway, you’re up for the Jupiter trip? If you don’t show up, I’m going to have to… I don’t know. I’d say cry, but I won’t really, and there are no good threats after that.” He’d suggest violence, but he wasn’t certain the woman might not take him in a fight still, even with his improved speed. She was wickedly good, and could take a be
ating that reminded him a lot of Baron Havar, for some reason. Which got him to nod. “We need to get together and practice soon. Fighting, not sex. Or, well, that too, if you feel up to it? I mean that though. Real practice. I haven’t done anything with a woman since I was changed last year. Two years ago now?” He spoke without thinking, and the woman made a troubled face.

  “You were only changed a few weeks back. Less than a month. Tim only now has the new ships…”

  “Ah. I wasn’t kidding about how things seem to me now. I’ll go and get one from him then. A loan. Sam Builder insisted, so I have my own batch going. Unarmed, in case that comes up? I should have that in about two weeks, I think.” A little more, if he was going to be honest. Not much however.

  Tiera smiled and touched his arm.

  “That’s a likely line, isn’t it? ‘Oh, help me practice, so I don’t make a mistake with a woman I like…’ Hmmm. I don’t know… That doesn’t sound like that much fun. For me, I mean. Great for you of course.” She was teasing, which he could tell.

  Dareg just nodded however, too fresh off of a rage for him to not be a bit over sensitive. Even if a big part of him knew that she was probably just teasing him gently. She’d even probably do it, if he wanted to press things a bit. The problem there was that the woman was so busy that she couldn’t even attend dinner with other people and had to have him do it for her. That meant even talking to him at the moment was probably going to stress her schedule, being unexpected as he was.

  “Fine, I see how you really are. Anyway, I should go find Tim?” It wasn’t fair to be upset with her, since having sex with him wasn’t required at all. It might not even be possible, but it seemed a bit much to ask favors of him and then act like he wasn’t good enough in other ways. Especially since he was. Not perfect, but he washed daily, and didn’t pick his teeth at the table. More than that was just her being mean, he decided. Grumpily. That part was clear to him, so he faked a smile about it all, and tried not to really let what he was feeling in the moment ruin things between them. It wasn’t like he loved her or anything. Her not having time to spend with him at the moment wasn’t that big of a deal, either. They were both immortal, and eventually that time would be available.

  Still, even though he left quickly, he didn’t make a big deal about the whole thing. It really was all right for her to do whatever she wanted as far as her interpersonal relationships. Just like it was fair for him to do the same.

  Albright was still there, waiting for him when he came out, as if he had nothing better to do. Feeling a little bit pressed, Dareg didn’t talk to the man, trying to simply get away from him. That just meant walking quickly, or so he thought. The man cheated however, and started to float along with him as Dare walked at what was probably his new normal speed. Many times faster than most could run. Of course those other people weren’t hounding him, and pushing him beyond the edge of what he could take. The running away thing he was doing would have been enough of a sign for most people.

  “Are… You… Going to give me a story about Tor? Austra wants to know. How… Did you trick him?”

  “I didn’t. I’ve told you all that, over and again. The very next person to ask me that will die. Do you understand?” He didn’t mean it, not really, but as they got onto the main promenade the man kept after him. Nattering and trying to get a rise out of him.

  “You’re lying though! You can’t be Tor’s son. That story just doesn’t hold water. He’s infertile, and yet you’re supposed to have been made by him, using magic? That isn’t real. Now, tell us, how did you trick him into thinking that you’re his son?”

  They were at the red box, next to the magic shop, when Dareg stopped. He needed to get a ship first, so that he could take things along to Hess and his people. Tim was inside the shop, and walking toward the door, probably attracted by the yelling. They’d gotten pretty loud. He had, at any rate.

  Blood pounded in his ears, as his vision narrowed. He was breathing so hard that he should have passed out. Except that he didn’t. Rage filled him instead. It was hard and harsh. Beyond anything that he’d ever felt before.

  Patricia was there as well, and the little shop girl, who was about ten or so. Taking a deep breath, he tried to smile. It was funny, but he wasn’t able to tell if he really did it or not.

  His voice rasped, instead of being smooth like it nearly always was.

  “Miss? You should go back inside. There’s about to be violence here. You don’t need to see that.”

  His Uncle narrowed his eyes, and then actually pushed the small young lady back inside, bodily. “Go on, Nelly. Trice, you… probably should stay back as well.”

  Oddly enough, and it didn’t really seem all the normal for her, Patricia actually took the advice, and just closed the door to the shop, triggering the lock on it. Not that it was going to stop him from getting in if he needed. Not that he did.

  When he spoke his tongue felt thick, and his words were off considerably.

  “I came for a ship? This… Man, decided to call me a liar, several times. I told him that the next time anyone does that, I’m going to kill them. Then he did it again. So now I’m going to kill him.” He meant it, and must have looked fairly upset. He sounded it too, he realized.

  Tim just shook his head.

  “Sorry? That was just a buzz to me. Can you slow down?”

  He did it, and repeated himself, which got Timon to wince and then shake his head.

  “Damn it. I warned you all. Is this going out live?”

  There was a smarmy look and a nod.

  “That’s right. I’m sending this out to all of Austra live. We want to know how he tricked Tor! We demand he be-” The man didn’t get to finish, being slammed against the wall. The one on the far side of the hallway, at least twenty feet away. Pinned there by Dareg, who was only using one hand. He normally wasn’t that strong, but in a rage that did tend to go up a bit. More than a little. Albright wasn’t exactly light, after all.

  Dareg made himself speak very, very slowly. It was nearly impossible, but he managed it.

  “I… Warned… You!” Then, spinning, he threw the man, who only traveled about ten feet, rolling to a stop, his shield coming back on long enough for him to try to fly away. That was a mistake. Luckily for him, he wasn’t going that fast when it was turned off again. The man fell with a meaty thud, and a pained gasping sound, as something snapped. It was his left arm, Dare figured. That was the one that hit the ground first.

  Tim yelled, which was probably ‘no’, or something witty like that. It was too distorted at the moment to hear. Not past the rushing of blood in his head. The man on the ground was about to die anyway, regardless of what was called out. The time for talking was well and truly past.

  It was even fair, since he’d warned the man not to do what he did. Several times. The death didn’t get to happen however, since someone tackled him, from behind, only being tossed back when his shield turned on. The other man did the same thing, so they just stood there for a bit, slipping off of each other. Dareg managed to hold his physical shield off, which was strangely easy. This wasn’t an Adversary after all, just someone trying to prevent a murder.

  Probably because they didn’t understand what needed to happen properly yet.

  While they grappled Timon picked up Albright bodily, like one might hold a child or a bride on her wedding day, and flew away at close to full speed. When Dare tried to turn his shield off, nothing happened. Giving chase didn’t either. Someone had him sort of pinned from behind, stalling him a little bit.

  That didn’t last long, of course. They both had shields on, and flexing his arms out forced the other person to move back a few steps.

  When he got away and glanced back, it was Lenn. The crewman, and of course, Forten warrior.

  A jerk, who was in his way. Trying, no doubt, to do the right thing, or, just possibly, capture him for his people. Dare was a wanted criminal at the fleet, so far away. Shaking the man off as he reached for him, Dare
g grinned, and growled at the same time.

  “I don’t think so. I’ve taken enough. This ends now!”

  Timon was moving fast, but awkwardly, carrying the heavy Albright in his arms. Which meant that one of them didn’t have their shield on. It would have to be the man being carried, given that Tim was flying away like he was. It couldn’t work any other way. Grimacing, he pulled the little tile from his side pocket, and triggered the weapon, focusing on the center of the evil man’s head. It took a bit, but he didn’t let go of the sigil, until Timon stopped, and dropped the now bloody mess that was the media man. It used to be him anyway. Now it was more of a puddle. Scraps of bone and red, dripping onto the white stone of Harmony.

  Then he put the weapon away, since it was already going to be clear enough who’d done it, really.

  Looking at Lenn, he shook his head.

  “You know, I never liked it here much anyway. If people aren’t going to appreciate me, then… I don’t think I need to visit now.”

  Then, before anyone could get to him, Dare walked into the small red hut that he’d built and left, going to the Capital port directly. Then he took down the transportation node there, so that no one could easily follow him. If they were coming for him, they’d have to use a ship. It wasn’t until he was safely inside that it really hit him.

  “I… Killed that man.” He’d meant to, at the time, but now that the combat rage was fading, and his mind was coming back to him, Dare started to feel a bit sick. It wasn’t the first time that he’d killed, but the others had all been trying to kill him at the same time. They were a potential threat at least. This man had just insulted him. Several times. Even after being warned what was going to happen.